The Only Oil Painting Colors You Need

If you could only make oil paintings with three colors plus white, what should those three colors be? Today I'll be looking at a true primary color palette you should try, and demoing how to make Richard Schmid's color charts that he describes in his book, Alla Prima II.

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C O L L E C T

[jondreauxlaing]

I use a similar limited palette that I based on a video from Andrew Tischler: Cadmium Lemon, Quinacridone Magenta, Cobalt Teal. I also use black (ahhh oh noooo!!) because it's hard to get very dark colors with this palette, but I like using black anyway because if you know how to use it, it can make really interesting and beautiful colors. I love Pthalo colors, but they're just too strong for normal use in my opinion. This palette gets me almost every color I could want except for the most brilliant purples and oranges, and in those instances I just grab a cad orange or dioxazine, but it's pretty rare that I actually need them.

[janewong]

Best explanation I have ever heard of color charts. Thank you

[Seanz]

I have owned Richard Schmid's first alla prima book for years but never used it very well. Your videos make his content much more clear. Each of your videos is like a mini text book in itself. Thanks for your channel. New subscriber here!

[carlkligerman]

Have you looked at Itten? His theory of colour book blew my mind when I was learning to paint many years ago, his mixing exercises are very free form and lots of fun but it is theories on harmonics that I found most useful.

[fotoalive]

I'm a newbie, just found your channel today WOW! This is a mine of GOLD! Now I have lots of work to do to catch-up on your videos. These colors charts help so much to understand colors! You are very dedicated to your Art and perfectionnist too....Thank you so much for sharing all of your expertise, natural teaching talents and of course a Great Artist! All the Best 🙏 Greetings from Q.C.🇨🇦

[justjude]

Thank you Chelsea, this has made so much sense to me now, you are wonderful, and have helped an old Aussie girl so much.

[deannak]

I can't stress enough that beginners should get to know their colors and make color charts- it's easy to be romanced by all those choices in the aisle- start with a few get to know them and realize you can mix many of those. I also recommend working with single pigment colors- it helps to prevent mixing mud (unintentionally) remember that mud is useful

[kendallowens]

Our pigments cannot come close to representing what we actually see. They simply depict a small portion of the light present. So when we paint, we are trying to represent what we see with a medium that is not capable of doing it. Color is complicated and challenging. We start with a limited palette simply to make the learning process more manageable. That being said, as artists we should never limit ourselves. Learn to paint with a limited palette, but introduce more or different colors as learn and progress.

[christiangeier]

brilliant! I really enjoy your videos and this one in particular! I love that you mention the "modern cmy" palette the true primary palette but doing so without degrading the other ones! another super reduced palette would be the zorn palette (white, yellow ochre, cad red and black) . Zorn's palette doesn't work for me since I'm doing mostly landscapes, but sometimes I try out a super limited palette using white, transparent oxide yellow, indian red and ultramarine blue! 🎨🤗

[j.d.waterhouse]

My God are you smart and organized. Love your videos. I've been going in circles for the last 10 years, in fact often going backwards, mostly because I can't break free from my early years drawing with pencil, or pen and ink. Every step of my paintings must look 'completed' and forcing myself to lay down underlayers before working on details has proven very difficult.

[Alexandra-kscb]

Some of this sounds like edgar Payne's mother colour theory. Great video!! Thanks so much.

[suzannebonham]

Oh I just love how you are showing and explaining the colours. I couldn't help noting that the transparent red oxide would make good portraits. Is not a healthy face the result of oxygenated, iron-rich blood viewed through the filter of skin? (Anybody who's been a nurse, seeing a heart-attack in progress knows the unforgettable effect that blood deoxygenation can do to someone's complexion.) I am a complete newbie, and the first thing I did when I got oils (two boxes of random colours, both from Craigs list) was to put down a splotch of each and dilute each with white. I have somehow managed to misplace these early charts and I feel so lost. But just today I painted some acrylic grey background so I can make charts like yours, but with a neutral background, as I could use as much help on value as I can get. I've seen other painters explain that limited palettes promote colour harmony, but you have actually beautifully shown it.

[annekarts]

Chelsea, this is so incredibly helpful. You have no idea. Thanks so much for sharing this with us! ❤

[trudyberry]

Great explanation of the various palettes. Thank you.

[_wegota_]

This is so, so great. Thanks so much for this video. I'm starting on my acrylic painting journey to (hopefully) incorporate it as illustration additions to my writing work, and I find that it's closely related to oil. You've been incredibly helpful. I'm also happy to learn that it's a common practice to work one hue throughout a palette for a harmonious look, as I've recently made that a goal for all my future palettes. Thank you!

[hotlineoperator]

Just find your channel and content is lovely.

[martinamarsella]

Your video was extremely helpful to me! Thank you so much!

[PetitFlorals]

I love your videos! Totally subbing and I'm happy Youtube recommended you to me.

[banzy]

Thank you for the in depth video! It was interesting what you said about Boedges using the transparent oxide red (as an example) chart, but then taking the ultramarine blue chart, and using the TOR column - i.e. still using TOR in his mix, but not as the dominant colour. I am also slightly confused by the charts application, because I saw a Schmid video where he said at least two of the charts usually fit a scene, therefore I guess you wouldn't always choose one colour to dominate all the various tints, as long as it's consistent with the light source?

[skrewler]

where did you buy that color chart and that overlay / stencil? did you make them? if so, care to share the pdf?

edit: okay I found the link. $139 seems outrageous

I found some cheaper ones, but doesn't come with the tape.